1. Field Of The Invention
This relates to an improved truck trailer of the drop frame type. More particularly, this invention relates to an improvement in the vertically extending, reinforced joint between the elevated, horizontally extending gooseneck portion of such a trailer and the generally vertically extending member which extends between the rear of such gooseneck portion and the front of the dropped, generally horizontally extending main frame portion of the trailer.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
In a drop frame trailer the joint between the rear of the gooseneck portion and the top of the vertically extending member to which it is attached, which is formed by beam members that have vertically extending web portions, can be subjected to very large bending loads, and these loads are repeatedly changed in magnitude during the movement of the trailer along a highway. Thus, these joints are subject to fatigue failure if not properly designed and fabricated. Heretofore, such joints have been fabricated from large, structural steel members, and have been reinforced by welding two or more diverging, linearly extending steel bars to vertically extending members on the inboard and outboard sides of the joint. However, finite element stress analysis techniques indicate that this design places the welds between the bars and the joint at or near the locations of maximum stress in the joint, making the welds subject to fatigue failure.